PEKAN: A housewife endured a terrifying ordeal when an armed robber held a knife to her four-year-old son's neck during a home invasion at Felda Chini Timur late yesterday.

The robbers escaped with valuables worth RM12,000.

Pekan police chief Superintendent Mohd Zaidi Mat Zin said four masked men, believed to be foreigners and armed with knives, fled with a necklace, a bangle and two handphones in the 11.50pm incident.

"The 26-year-old housewife was asleep with her two children and mother-in-law when she heard a noise in the living area," he said in a statement today.

"She went to check and saw four masked men dressed in dark clothing and gloves. Shocked, she screamed, and one of the suspects grabbed her son, who was asleep in the living room, and held a knife to his neck."

Zaidi said the suspects warned her to stay quiet while two of them searched the bedrooms.

"They forced the victim's mother-in-law, who was sleeping in one of the rooms, into the living room before taking her necklace and bangle," he said.

"The suspects then took the jewellery and two handphones from the living area before locking the victims in one of the rooms and fleeing through the kitchen door."

Zaidi said the front door had no security grilles and was unlocked during the incident.

"The house does not have any CCTV cameras. The victim's husband, who runs a grocery store, and her father-in-law were playing badminton at the time," he said.

He added that police believe the suspects are foreigners and have launched a manhunt. None of the victims were injured.

Zaidi said the case is being investigated for gang robbery and armed robbery.